Tractor implement attachment



Aug 7, 1951 w. P. oEHLER ETAL 2,563,185

^ TRACTOR IMPLEMENT ATTACHMENT l Filed Sept. 19, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENT F? OE R UY'W. A

WILLI .4T ORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 7, 1951 TRACTOR IMPLEMENT ATTACHMENT William P. Oehler and Guy W. Ade, Moline, Ill., assignors to Deere & Company, Moline, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application september 19, 1945, serial No. 617,238

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly to implementsfor .planting and fertilizing.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved planting and fertilizer atttachment particularly adapted for mounting on a tractor equipped with cultivating tools. More specifically, an important feature of this invention is the provision of simplified mountlngs for the seed and fertilizer furrow openers materially facilitating their attachment to and detachment from the associated .parts of the cultivator rigs or other cultivator structure carried by the tractor. It is also a feature of this invention to provide a fertilizer furrow opener and seed furrow opener connected for iioating movement with the draft bar of a cultivator but movable independently of the cultivator rig beams and to mount on the latter, as, for example, in different optional positions, ground working tools which cooperate with the furrow openers.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide new and improved means associated with the cultivator rigs, particularly the raising and lowering mechanism therefor, whereby the planting and fertilizing furrow openers are raised automatically.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred form in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the dr wings:

Figure 1 a/ perspective View of a tractor cultivator with which is associated planting and fertilizing attachments incorporating the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is another .perspective view of the implement attachments shown in Figure l, showing particularly the optional mounting of the ground working tools carried by the cultivator rig .beams and also showing the hill drop attachment.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of one of the clamps used for securing a ground working tool to the spread bar.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the new and improved planter and fertilizer attachments with which the present invention is more particularly concerned is shown as mounted on a farm tractor I on which right and left hand cultivator attachments 2 and 3 are mounted. These cultivator attachments are, in general, identical and therefore corresponding parts of the right and left hand units will be indicated by the same reference numerals. The same is true of the planter and fertilizer attachments. 'Ihe tractor l is largely conventional, embodying right and left hand frame bars 5 supported at their front ends on front steering wheels 6 and connected at their rear end with the motor and transmission unit 1 to which right and left hand axle housings 8 are connected. A rear axle shaft 9 is supported for rotation in each of the axle housings 8. Each of the cultivator attachments 2 and 3 includes a laterally outwardly extending draft bar Il formed with or attached to an attaching plate I2 at its inner end by which the draft bar may be fixed to the side of the tractor. At its outer end each of the draft bars ll receives a plate bracket I3 which is apertured at its forward edge so as to receive the outer threaded ends of a pair of brace rods l5 and I6 which at their inner ends are attached to the front of the tractor. Each draft bar ll ,receives a pair of cultivator rigs indicated generally at 2| and 22. Each rig includes a rig beam 25 to the forward end of which a pair of standards 26 are fixed, as by bolts 21. The standards 25 are apertured to receive bolts or pins which pivotally connect the rear ends of a pair of upper and lower links 28 and 29 which, at their forward ends are pivoted, as at 3| and 32, to an attaching bracket 33 which is clamped to the draft bar II by any suitable means, such as a U-bolt 34. Each of the brackets 33 is extended upwardly, as at 31, and is apertured to receive suitable bearing means supporting a rockshaft 38 on the draft bar Il. A pair of lifting arms 39 is fixed to the rockshaft 38 by any suitable means, such as a U-bolt 4I, and the outer end of each lifting arm 39 carries a swivel 44 through which a lifting rod 45 extends. The lower end of each lifting rod 45 is bent laterally, as at 46, and inserted through an opening in the lower link 29. A compression spring 41 is disposed between each swivel 44 and an abutment collar 48 or the like fixed to the lower portion of the associated lifting link 45. l

A clamp casting 5| is fixed to the front end of each cultivator rig beam 25, forwardly of the standards 26 secured thereto, and each member 5l includes a lower clamping cap 53 and associated `bolt means 54 which secure a spread bar 55 to the front ends of the cultivator rig beams 25. The spread bar 55 thus holds the two cultivator rig beams 25 rigidly together so that they are raised and lowered simultaneously whenever the rockshaft 38 is rocked. Each of the rockshafts 38 carries an upwardly extending arm 6I, preferably welded thereto, each arm 6| being apertured to receive suitable means connecting` the front end of a longitudinally extending lift member 62 thereto. The lift member 62 at each' side of the tractor is actuated "in any suitable manner and is shifted generally longitudinally to raise the tools, as in a conventional tractor mounted cultivator.

which forms a socket 15. The angle is preferably welded to the plates 14. Along their front edges, at the upper end of the bracket 1|, an apertured plate 16 is welded and is apertured to receive the ends 11 of a U-bolt 18 which embraces the central portion of the associated draft bar Below the U-bolt 18 the plates 14 are apertured to receive pins or bolts 8| and 62 which form means pivotally connecting upper and lower links 84 and to the lower portion of the attachment bracket 1|. The forward portion of the lower link 85 is curved upwardly, as at 86, to clear the spread bar 55 and associated parts and for other reasons as will be explained below. The rear ends of the links 84 and 85 are pivotally connected. as at 80 and 85, to a pair of supporting plates 9| and 92. Preferably, the plates 9| and 92 have apertured upper and forward extensions 83 and 94 which receive the pivots 88 and 89. A fertilizer furrow opener |00, which per se may be of conventional construction, is bolted to the inner plate 92 and is provided with a furrow opener runner |0| and a fertilizer boot |02 which is formed to receive the lower end of a fertilizer tube |03. Between the two mounting plates 0| and 92 isa seeding unit |05, comprising a suitable seed boot and support |06 bolted between the adjacent portions of the plates 9| and 02 and provided with a double disk seed furrow opener |01. As best shown in Figure l, a pair of press wheels is mounted in a press wheel frame I2 which is made up of bars that are pivoted at ||3 to the plates 9| and 82. The press wheel frame ||2 may oat free. or it may be fixed to the plates 9| and 82. The double disk furrow opener |01 is of the variable depth type, and the supporting casting |06 receives the lower end of a seed tube H4. Normally. the furrow opener |01 is disposed substantially midway between the two rig beams 25 while the fertilizer furrow opener |0| is disposed slightly to one side of the center line. The two furrow openers are capable of floating or movement independent with respect to the cultivator rig beams, by virtue of the generally parallel link connection 84, 85 with the auxiliary attaching bracket 14, and since the links 84 and 85 are both below the draft bar and also because the attachment bracket 1| is fastened to the front side of the tractor-carrier draft beam the attachment of the furrow opener units to the tractor and the detachment therefrom is readily accomplished without removing any part except the U-bolt 18.

Reference was made above to the fact that the spread bar 55 is adapted to receive ground working tools in different optional positions thereon. Referring first to Figure l, said groundworking tools include a pair of furrowing disks ||6 and ||1 disposed generally centrally between the two rig beams 25, each disk being mounted on a vertical shank I8. Each shank or standard |8 is secured to the spread bar 55 by a clamp |20, and each clamp comprises a U-shaped member |2| having its ends apertured, as at |22, to receive the shank H8. The rear or intermediate portion |23 of the U-shaped member |2| is tapped, as at |26. to receive a cap screw |21. A block |20 is 4 disposed between the upper and lower portions of the U-shaped member |2| and at one side is formed with a horizontal V-shaped socket |28 and, at the other side, with a vertical arcuate or semi-circular socket |3|. The latter is adapted to seat against the shank ||8 while the horizontal V-shaped socket |29 is adapted to seat against the spread bar 55. The planting parts assembled in operative position are shown in Figure 1, from which, in connection with Figure 3, it can be seen that when the cap screw |21 is tightened the inner end bears against the spread bar and forces the member |28 against the shank ||8, firmly holding the same in the openings |22. Figure 1 shows the two clamping members |20 disposed in the generally central portion of the spread bar 55, which disposes the disks ||6 and |1 close together. If desired, as when hills or beds are required, the disks ||6 and ||1 may be arranged as shown in Figure 2, namely, in a wide spread position, in which the clamping members |20 are disposed on the spread bar laterally outwardly of the rig beams and their clamps 5I, with the disks ||6 and ||1 angled so as to bring the soil i'erally inwardly to form the desired bed or When the furrow forming disks ||6 and ||1 are arranged as shown in Figure 1, a center' clamp |40 is mounted on the spread bar between the clamps |2`0. The clamp |40 is of substantially the same construction as the clamps |20 just described, comprising a U-shaped member |4| apertured at its forward ends, as at |42, to receive the shank |43 of a center tool |44, which may be of conventional construction. The central portion of the U-shaped member |4| is tapped to receive a set screw |41 which, in operation, bears against one edge of the spread bar 55. Between the latter and the shank |43 is an abutment member |40 which is substantially the same as the member |28 mentioned above except that it is longer and has a reenforcing rib |5| (Figure 2). The member |48 has an arcuate socket to receive the shank |43. The center tool |44 preferably is used both with the disks ||6 and ||1 clamped to the central portion of the spread bar 55 as well as when they are clamped to the ends thereof, as shown respectively in Figures l and 2.

Mention was made above of the fact that when the rockshaft 38 is rocked the cultivator rig beams 25 and associated parts are raised. Since the spread bar 55 is fixed directly to the beams 25, the rocking of the rockshaft 38 therefore to raise the disks ||6 and ||1 as well as the central tool |44. According to the principles of the present invention new and improved means is provided for raising the furrow opener unit |00 and |01 automatically whenever the disks ||6 and ||1 are raised. To this end, a pair of L -shaped plates |6| is provided, each having an opening |62 to receive the spread bar 55, as best shown in Figure 2. 'I'he plates |6| are loose or slidable on the spread bar 55 but are held in assembled relation by means of a bolt |63 and a spacer or bushing |64 which is held in position between the end portions of the plates when the bolt |63 is tightened, the bushing |64 being mounted on the bolt |63. It will be seen from Figures l and 2 that the bushing |64 and bolt |63 are of such length that when the plates |6| are assembled on the spread bar 55 and fastened together, there is just suflicient space to receive the clamp |40 therebetween. The clamp |40 therefore 'serves as means for holding the plates |6| inA position on the spread bar. The rearwardly extending portions of the plate |6|,

which carry the bushing |64, are disposed substantially underneath the lower link 85 and the parts are so arranged that when the disks andfurrow openers are in operating position there is sufficient space between the bushing |64 and the link 85, as shown in Figure 2, to accommodate the independent oating movement of the furrow opener units mentioned above. However, when the disks ||6 and ||1 are raised by virtue of the rocking movement of the rockshaft 38, the bushing |64 comes into engagement with the lower edge of the link 85 and therefore lifts the tools |00 and |01 associated with the plates 9| and 92 to which the links 84 and 85 are connected. It will be noted that the bushing |64 engages the link 85 well towards the rear end of the latter. This provides a very easy method of raising the furrow opener units and |01 and does not overload the lifting mechanism, yet when the parts reach their raised or transport position, the tools |00 and |01 are lifted to adequate height, preferably the same as the height to which the disks |16 and ||1 are raised.

For selecting and dispensing seed and fertilizer for delivery to the furrow opener units |00 and |01, there are provided seed and fertilizer hoppers at the side of the tractor, each seed hopper being indicated by the reference numeral |80 and each fertilizer hopper by the reference numeral |8|. Each seed hopper |80 is supported on a mounting bracket |64, best shown in Figures 2. 'Ihe seed hopper bottom is indicated by the reference numeral |93 and the seed hopper |80 includes a seed can |94 mounted on the hopper bottom |93.

The seed hopper bottom |93, as well as the fertilizer hopper bottom 2|5 is similar to the construction shown and claimed in the United States Patent 2,319,737, issued May 18, 1943, to Theodore W. Johnson. It may be mentioned, however, that the speed hopper |80 includes sleeve sections 206 which are bored to receive a seeding shaft 201, and that each of the hopper bottoms |93 and 2|5 is provided with a dispensing spout, as indicated at 26| and 262, respectively, by which seed and fertilizer is delivered through tubes 264 and 26-5 to the seed furrow opener and fertilizer furrow opener |00, as best shown in Figure The fertilizer hopper bottom 2|5 includes hook sections 2|9 which engage over the corresponding sleeve sections 206 for connecting the two hoppers together. It may also be mentioned that the shaft 201 is driven by a chain connection with the sprocket 21|` on the axle shaft, the shaft being driven through clutch mechanism (not shown) held in place on the shaft 201 by the cotter 218 and a pin inserted in the opening 291 in the shaft, the clutch mechanism being controlled by an arm 3|3 on the rockshaft 38. The aforesaid chain connection is held taut by an arm 34| (Figure 1) pivotally mounted on the hopper bottom |93 and including an outwardly directed section 342 on which a chain engaging roller 343 is mounted. The shaft 201 may be arranged to driveA a hill drop attachment through a lower chain 392, trained over a double sprocket journaled in a yoke 391 that forms a part of a lower tubular member 40|, and an upper chain 42| trained over a sprocket 422 held on the shaft 201 by a pin 423. The lower end of the member 40| receives a rod 402, whose position relative to the member 40| may be adjusted by set screw lock means 408, 409. The yoke 391 is pivoted at 398-, to a yoke 4|| to which the lower end of a shank 4|2 :is fixed. the upper end of the shank 4|2 being fixed by bolt means 4|3 to a pair of attaching members 4|6 and 4|1, the latter being slotted, as at 4|8, to receive the bolt 4 I3.

The arrangements shown in Figures 1 and 2 are ordinarily employed after the ground has been plowed and disked and left in a level condition, the implement shown in Figure 1 serving to plant in furrows formed by the disks ||6 and ||1 when they are disposed close together while, in Figure 2, the planting is done on ridges or beds thrown up by the disks I6 and ||1 in their spaced apart position. Under other conditions the beds or ridges may be formed before the planting is done, in which case the planting implement need not be provided with ground working tools for forming either beds or furrows. In that case, the seed and fertilizer furrow openers need not be separately mounted but may, instead, be mounted directly on the cultivator beams 25.

The arrangement shown in Figure 1 is one in which the press wheels serve as gauge wheels, the press Wheel frame bars I |2 being bolted rigidly to the plates 9| and 92. Thus, the planting and fertilizing units oat with respect to the tractor and also with respect to the furrow forming disks |6 and |1 and the center clearing tool |44. The furrow opener |01 is of the variable depth type and the seed from the seed dispensing unit is deposited continuously. Under some conditions it may be desirable to deposit the seed in hills, for example, two, three or four kernels in a hill. When an arrangement of this kind is desired, the seed furrow opener unit |05 is replaced by a seed furrow opener unit of the hill drop type.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, variations in the row spacing may be secured by shifting the Icultivator rig brackets 33, and the associlated planter unit bracket 1|, along the draft bar While we have shown and described abovethe preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the particular details shown and debeams connected with said draft beam for raising and lowering movement with respect thereto, of an attachment comprising a transverse spread bar fixed to said rig beams with the central portion of the spread bar disposed between the rig beams, an agricultural unit connected with said draft beam for generally vertical movement relative thereto, a vertically disposed bracket, means for connecting the upper end portion of said bracket to said draft beam, a pair of link members pivotally connected at their forward ends with the lower portion of said bracket below said draft beam and pivotally connected at their rear ends with said agricultural unit, and an arm fixed at its forward end to said spread bar in a position below one of said link members and carrying means at its rear end engageable with said one link member, whereby raising said rig beams would also raise said unit.

2. The combination, with a tractor-mounted implement having a transverse draft beam and a pair of spaced longitudinally extending rig beams connected with said draftbeam for raising and lowering movement with respect thereto, of an attachment comprising a transverse spread bar fixed to said rig beams with the central portion of the spread bar disposed between the rig beams, an agricultural unit, means movably connecting said agricultural unit with said draft beam in a position between said rig beams, a lifting member mounted on said spread bar in a position to engage said connecting means for lifting said agricultural unit whenever said rig beams are raised, a pair of ground-working tools carried by said spread bar forwardly of said agricultural unit, and attaching means fixing said ground-working tools to said spread bar, said attaching means being disposed on opposite sides of said lifting member and engageable with the latter for holding said lifting member against displacement on said spread bar.

3. The combination, with a tractor-mounted implement having a transverse draft beam and a pair of spaced longitudinally extending rig beams connected with said draft beam for raising and lowering movement with respect thereto, of an attachment comprising a transverse spread bar fixed to said rig beams with the central portion of the spread bar disposed between the rig beams, a ground-working tool fixed to the central portion of the spread bar, an agricultural unit movably connected with said draft beam independently of said rig beams and including a vertically movable longitudinally extending connecting part passing over but adjacent to the central portion of said spread bar, a pair of arms mounted on said spread bar at opposite sides of said tool, and connecting means securing the outer ends of said arms together and holding the arms at opposite sides of said tool, the fixed tool acting to prevent lateral displacement of said arms relative to said spread bar, said connecting means being engageable with said connecting part for raising said unit when the rig beams and spread bar are raised.

4, For use in a tractor mounted cultivator of the type including a laterally extending draft beam, a pair of generally longitudinaly extending rig beams spaced apart laterally, and separate connections leading, respectively, from said rig beams to said draft beam: the improvement which includes an attachment comprising a,

spread bar adapted to be fixed at its ends to said rig beams, an agricultural unit adapted to be connected with said draft beam for generally vertical movement relative thereto, a bracket normally disposed generally in a vertical position, means for connecting the upper end portion of said bracket to said draft beam, a pair of link members, both disposable at the under side of said draft beam, extending from the lower portions of said bracket below said draft beam to said agricultural unit, and an arm fixed at its forward end to said spread bar in a position belo'a one of said link members and carrying means at its rear end engageable with said one link member, whereby raising said rig beams will also raise said unit.

5. For use in a tractor-mounted implement including a transversely disposed draft beam and a pair of generally longitudinally extending cultivator rig beams movably connected with said draft beam in laterally spaced apart relation: the improvement comprising an attachment which includes a spread bar adapted to be fixed to said rig beams, an agricultural unit, means for movably connecting said agricultural unit with said draft beam generally in a position between said rig beams, a lifting member mounted on the generally central portion of said spread bar and adapted to engage a portion of said connecting means for lifting :aid unit whenever said rig beams are raised, a pair of ground-working tools carried by said spread bar forwardly of said unit, and attaching means for fixing said groundworking tools to said spread bar, said attaching I neans being disposed on opposite sides of said lifting member and engageable with the latter for holding said lifting member against lateral displacement on said spread bar.

6. For use in a tractor-mounted implement including a transversely disposed draft beam and a pair of generally longitudinally extending cultivator rig beams movably connected with said draft beam in laterally spaced apart relation for raising and lowering movement with respect thereto: the improvement comprising an attachment which includes a transverse spread bar adapted to be fixed to said rig beams with the central portion of the spread bar disposed between the rig beams, a ground-working tool fixed to the central portion of the spread bar, an agricultural unit adapted to be movably connected with said draft beam independently of said rig beams and including a vertically movable longitudinally extending connecting part passing over but adjacent to the central portion of said spread bar, a pair of arms mounted on said spread bar at opposite sides of said tool, and connecting means securing the outer end of said arms together and holding the arms on opposite sides of said tool, the fixed tool acting to prevent lateral displacement of said arms relative to said spread bar, said connecting means being engageable with said connecting part for raising said unit when Pthe rig beams and spread bar are raised.

WILLIAM P. OEHLER. GUY W. ADE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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